Sweet Slumber
by Crimson Devil
Summary: It has been two weeks after Gyumao's defeat and everyone's back home and everything's back to normal...but why is Goku having a bad dream...?


[A/N] I got a little stuck on "Tears Of The Sun" so I thought of doing a one-shot fic. for a while, but that doesn't mean that I have given up on it. I just wanted to take a short break from it, that's all. Hope you guys will enjoy this. (^-^)]

Once again, I don't own Saiyuki! 

**Sweet Slumber**

**by****: Crimson Devil**

It was a frigid night at Chang an Temple; the gentle blowing of the wind through the peach tree, which was a sacrifice to Kazeon Bosatsu, and the shining of the moon and stars in the dark velvet sky were all just too peaceful and serene. Not like before. 

It has been two weeks since the defeat of Gyumao and the notorious Gyokumen Koushu, and all of Togenkyou was brought back to peace. The demons have returned to their normal selves and life went on like it had before; when demons and humans lived together as one. Though some still found it a little hard to accept the demons' return, they grew to trust them once more.

**_"Sanzo Houshi-sama! Thank god you have arrived back safely!"___**

_…urusai…___

**_"You must be very tired from your journey!"_**

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_…urusai…___

**_"Please come in quickly! We must treat your wounds!"_**

_…urusai…___

**_"How was it battling demons through out your trip with your companions?"___**

_…urusai…___

**_"Sanzo-sama…why did you bring that child back with you…"_**

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**_"Urusai!"_******

_Those stupid monks just wouldn't stop bickering, the blonde told himself at the memory of the day he and Goku returned from their journey after leaving Hakkai and Gojyo at the red head's poor excuse for a home, __and I bet they weren't even worried about me. I bet they were only wondering if I would be able to succeed in my mission._

_They're so self-centered for a bunch of 'holy' monks. _

Sanzo, in his black leather, skin-tight top and dark grey jeans, took a long, heavy drag on his cigarette and blew out puffs and wisps of smoke from his mouth and nostrils. He was sitting on a chair not far from the window in his room, where in the bed was occupied by a sleeping heretic murmuring something about meat buns and yakisoba. 

The moonlight shone beautifully through the window panes, shining on Sanzo's flaxen hair, making visible the trails of smoke from his cigarette. 

**_"Sanzo, please take care of Goku. We'll visit both of you from time to time, ne?"_**

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**_"Yeah, take care of him Sanzo Houshi-sama − ITTE!"_**

_…hmph…serves him right…_

**_"Don't talk too much Gojyo!"_**

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**_"Aren't you supposed to tell me 'Don't move too much'?"_**

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**_"I would but your talking might lead you to more damage than your moving."_**

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**_"Oh…right…Ja, namaguza bouzo; baka-saru!"   _[1]**

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_…tch' I could've shot him in his cockroach-sized brain on the spot… _

**_"Saru itte yunda!"_   [2]**

The blonde monk took a tighter grip on his gun as he polished it with a piece of cloth at the thought of a perverted Gojyo shivering at the feel of the gun's cold barrel on his forehead. 

_I should've shot him right then and there, he told himself, making a mental note to shoot him once he and Hakkai would come for a visit. He then remembered that same day upon returning home. The foursome had injuries and bruises on various places of their bodies, most of which were critical points that if they were seriously damaged, would've led them to their deaths. _

Hakkai had a fractured left arm and a handful of slashes to his face and torso while Gojyo had earned himself some broken ribs and a head wound that almost painted his face bloody red; Sanzo was able to get away with a deep stab in the gut…and that was all he got…because Goku protected his keeper, wholeheartedly paying the price of internal bleeding and numerous bruises on his own lithe form; resulting in a state of unconsciousness.

**_"Shi ne, baka-youkai!"_****__**

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**_"Goku!_****_ Please evade the attacks!"_**

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_…he should've done what Hakkai told him to do…_

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**_"GAH −"_**

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_…he should've moved away…_

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**_"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING GOKU?"_**

_…he was coughing out so much blood…_

**_"AGH − I WON'T MOVE!"_**

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_…he was so hard-headed…_

**_"ARE YOU DEAF, YOU BAKA-SARU! MOVE NOW!"_**

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_…he was too ignorant…_

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**_"I WANT TO PROTECT YOU SANZO!"_**

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_…he was too ignorant for his own good…_

The clashing sound of Gojyo's weapon with the demons' own weaponry; the explosions caused by Hakkai's ki attacks; the cracks of his own gunshots; the smell of gun powder, and smoke; the sight of demons diminishing as their last cries faded along with them, and Goku's distinct caterwauls were still vividly clear in his mind. 

_Why didn't that fucking baka-saru move when I told him to, he asked himself, running his slender fingers through his hair, staring at moon, as if waiting for it to give him an answer, _Why didn't he listen to me? He usually does everything I say…why didn't he listen to me then?__

Just then, he felt something stir in the covers of his bed, followed by murmurs which grew louder and louder.

"No…stop…don't do it…"

Sanzo stood up from his chair and walked silently towards the bed; toward Goku who was beginning to thrash around in the tangled blanket. Reaching the bed, he sat on its edge, whispering Goku's name to check if he was alright.

"No…I won't let you…"

"Goku…oi, saru…"

"I said stop…leave us alone…"

"…Goku…"

"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH SANZO!"

Suddenly, Goku bolted upright from his lying form, his ominous golden eyes wide open, and beads of sweat rolling on his tanned skin. He was breathing in uneven breaths as he looked at the chair where he last saw Sanzo sitting in. 

Sanzo wasn't there.

Turning his head to all directions in panic, trying to find his master, he turned his head to his left, seeing Sanzo just staring at him. The room was dark; Goku wouldn't have seen Sanzo if it weren't for the rays of moonlight shining on his blonde hair and revealing his enigmatic amethyst eyes.

"What's wrong with you baka-saru?"

Goku flung out his arms and wrapped them around Sanzo's midriff, speaking in a quivering voice.

"I had a nightmare…I dreamed about the time we fought the demons and stopped Gyumao's revival…but I dreamt that Gojyo, Hakkai and you were dead!"

His tears fell on Sanzo's black top, and trailed down to the waist of his pants. Goku was crying. The young heretic shivered uncontrollably in the older man's arms, gripping on what he can of Sanzo's shirt. 

_Why didn't I do as much as Goku did, he inquired himself as the sight of Goku's red stained bandages caught his eye, _Why didn't I get my fair share of injuries as the others did? Though I'm just a human, I know that I can do as much as Gojyo, Hakkai and Goku can…but why didn't I just shove Goku out of the way. I could've protected myself. Why did Goku have to suffer for me?__

Sanzo didn't make a futile attempt to shove Goku away. He knew that Goku's grip was strong and that it would be difficult to remove his arms…he didn't want to. 

Placing his hand on the child's back, and the other ruffling his brown locks, he tried to soothe Goku's cries. Something in him didn't like to see him this way. Something in him felt hurt at the sight of Goku's tear stained face; he wanted to do something about it.

"It's just a stupid dream. And besides, I wouldn't be killed so easily…there's no reason to cry." Sanzo said in a deep, calming voice into Goku's ear.

Goku rubbed his wet, puffy eyes with the side of his hand and looked at the latter with his golden orbs, which seemed crystalline due to the tears lining the brim of his eyes, trying to sound cheerful as he spoke. 

"When I woke up, I didn't see you in your chair. It was dark and I could barely see. I thought…I lost you. I thought my nightmare came true."

Tears protruded once more as Goku mentioned his nightmare. It must have been a horrid dream to make him cry like this. Sanzo thought that the only thing that would make Goku cry was whenever Gojyo would take the last meat bun, dumpling or any kind of food for that matter. 

_Why would he be so worried about me? The flaxen haired monk wondered. _Did I mean so much to him? How would that be possible…?__

"You see, I thought that if you were gone, I wouldn't have any light to guide me…since you were the one who led me out the dark. You are like the sun to me Sanzo."

At those words, the events of years past, to the very first time they met sped through his mind like lights on the highway. Images of a younger Goku with quite longer hair, weighed down by shackles and chains appeared in his mind's eye, his hand reaching out for the outstretched arms of his former, younger self…then there came a blinding light. 

The years of which both, in a sense, grew up together in Chang an Temple flashed at perplexing speed. The times they had spent together…then all memories had ceased protruding. 

_…I'm like the sun to him…_

Snapping back to reality, Sanzo still found Goku whimpering quietly in his arms; still gripping on his black top.

Without clarity of thought, perhaps not having full knowledge of what he was doing, he cupped Goku's chin and raised it so his eyes were staring right into his tear-rimmed gold ones. 

"S-Sanzo…?"

Sanzo just gazed at the golden orbs before him; at the child who somehow managed to gain his normal breathing…at the one person that took him a long time to realize was the most important thing to him since his late master, Komyou Sanzo…Goku.

_…why didn't I see this before…?_

"S-Sanzo…?"

_…did I want…_

"…S-Sanzo…doushite…?"

_something__ to protect…?_

At a blink of an eye, or somewhat similar, Sanzo had his lips on the heretic's, taking him into a warm, protective embrace. Goku, though startled and bewildered, didn't move an inch away from his keeper. Something in his heart told him that he wanted this, while a tiny voice in his head was panicking due to Sanzo's sudden behavior. In utter confusion, he didn't do anything.

Somehow…in some way…this felt right.

_…did I want to protect Goku…?_

Releasing Goku from the lip-lock, Sanzo buried his face into the younger one's russet hair, inhaling Goku's scent; bringing him impeccably closer to his chest, like a child afraid to let go of a valuable and cherished doll. 

_…did I want to protect Goku…to make up for the time I had failed to protect Master Komyou…was I trying to gain back what I had lost…_

There was a long pause, accompanied only by the sound of chirping crickets in the dew covered grass. The blonde monk took the young heretic's shoulders and pushed them at arms' length, his usually cold eyes now more of a deep shade of amethyst. 

"…Sanzo…I−"

"I'm only going to say this once, so you'd better listen well."

The heretic nodded, trying hard not to lose himself in Sanzo's intense eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the times I didn't pay you back with what you really deserved. I have lost something very important to me in my life years ago which I failed to protect. It's one of the reasons why I am usually cruel to others. It's just because I don't want to get too close to anyone. I was afraid of having history repeat itself…and it almost did. You were already knocking on death's door the day we defeated Gyumao. You would've died if it weren't for Hakkai's help. You mean a lot to me Goku."

_…I felt the same way. Back at __Mt.__ Kaka, I had nothing…but then Sanzo gave me a world greater than the sun…I guess I have the same case as Sanzo does…because I've found something very important…_

Goku coiled his lithe arms around Sanzo's neck and rested his chin on the older man's shoulder.

"Sanzo," the child started in a small, timid voice.

"Nanda yo, baka-saru?"

"I feel the same way…and…"

"And what?" the monk asked irritably, making it clear that he was impatient.

"I…I love you…"

The whole night was silent after those words. Goku didn't care less about Sanzo even if he didn't tell him the same. But as he felt his master's arms wrap around him, tighter than ever; their hearts beating as one, his ashen lips kissing his tanned neck, though unsure of his intuition…he somehow figured that he felt the same way.  

_…Someday, you too will hear a voice…a voice whose owner would perhaps give you something more than the whole universe…_

…That is what I believe in…I should know…

[A/N] Well…um…I honestly don't know what you guys are going to say about this one… _ I hope you enjoyed this "intermission/break" from my other fic., Tears Of The Sun, for those of you who know of it. *grumbles: …stupid…school work…interfering in my stories…what nerve…* 

Anyway, please go on and click that little button that says 'submit review' and tell me what you think. ^-^

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